It's funny how money changes the situation

"It's funny how money changes the situation" a quote from Lauren Hill of the Fugees. This is one of the truest statements ever made. Many of us have been in a situation where we're doing a business deal or dealing with relatives and when the other party finds out you have a couple dollars in the bank, all hell breaks lose, deals that were already on the table, basically done- are all of a sudden back in negotiation with the other party trying to figure out how they can get every dime you got.

Today I was kind of half listening to the press conference President Obama was having. We as Americans have a chance to invoke some real change in this country. This is what the American people voted for back in November -wasn't it? But early on in President Obama's tenure, our will is being tested. The American people have always been weak willed and easily swayed, but I am surprised how fast the people have been swayed concerning healthcare. President Obama and his administration have been trying to make the case that if people don't get on the 'bus', concerning healthcare reform the Government and the private sector are going to be in for some tough choices in the near future. To hear Obama tell it- 'the very near future'.

You have to give the opposition kudos, they have muddied the argument on healthcare, claiming that America will be on a slippery slope to European style "rationed" healthcare, where people have to wait months to have simple procedures done.

I'm sorry to say the opposition does have a few points on their side. The mortality rate when dealing with colon cancer in Europe is 42% compared to 31% in America. The drugs that are approved in America to treat colon cancer are light years ahead of what is subscribed in Europe. This is because of MONEY, it changes the situation. When enacting a nationwide healthcare plan, we're talking about mucho dinero. Right now the entitlements of Medicare and Medicaid take up 21% of this country's budget. I think that our defense budget takes up just as much or more. People, were running out of money!

The American people have got to understand that 46 million Americans are uninsured in this country, that means that 255 million Americans are insured. This is a big point that needs to be pointed out every chance we get. I would guess that half of those 46 million could afford to buy their own insurance but just don't budget, don't care or feel like their bullet proof. This leaves us with about 23 million hardcore poor people who genuinely can't afford insurance. We need to concentrate on these people. Get them some sort of Medicaid type policy to make sure that this country is taking care of our less fortunate.

I am of the opinion that if America were to go to a single payer healthcare plan. (a plan where the government picks up the tab) we would be on a slippery slope to companies dropping their employer subsidized healthcare plans. This would lead to more and more people deciding that they don't want to be responsible for the own health needs and pass it on to the tax payers. Remember folks, as I mentioned in a past blog, only 55% of the American people pay income taxes. These 55% are already up to their ears paying for Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid etc. The top 5% of Americans pay 37% of all the taxes in America. The top 5% starts at about 100 to 150k dollars. If you and your spouse are making any moves in life, you are making that or are closing in on it. That's something to think about. If we're smart, and I think President Obama is very smart we better start focusing on that 23 million Americans that flat out can't afford healthcare.

Garden tip of the day: First Aid for ailing shrubs. To keep your shrubs in the best shape, you are going to have to give them a hard prune. A hard prune is exactly what it sounds like, cut them back 5 or 6 inches, 'a good prune' not a little prune. You should do this after the growing season of that shrub has past. You should look at the shrub and prune out any dead branches or foliage. When you hard prune a shrub, what you're doing is letting light down into the shrub. Light in the shrub is the healer. Hard pruning can be done all at once or it can be spread out over two or three years. If done correctly your shrub should heal itself by the beginning of the next growing season.